Book Description
What does it take to turn ideas into action? What are the elements of a perfect pitch? How do you win the war for talent? How do you establish a brand without bucks? These are some of the issues everyone faces when starting or revitalizing any undertaking, and Guy Kawasaki, former marketing maven of Apple Computer, provides the answers.
The Art of the Start will give you the essential steps to launch great products, services, and companies—whether you are dreaming of starting the next Microsoft or a not-for-profit that's going to change the world. It also shows managers how to unleash entrepreneurial thinking at established companies, helping them foster the pluck and creativity that their businesses need to stay ahead of the pack. Kawasaki provides readers with GIST—Great Ideas for Starting Things—including his field-tested insider's techniques for bootstrapping, branding, networking, recruiting, pitching, rainmaking, and, most important in this fickle consumer climate, building buzz.
At Apple, Kawasaki helped turn ordinary customers into fanatics. As founder and CEO of Garage Technology Ventures, he has tested his iconoclastic ideas on real- world start- ups. And as an irrepressible columnist for Forbes, he has honed his best thinking about The Art of the Start.
Customer Reviews:
Great check-list for anyone starting a company........2007-09-07
A great checklist and lots of advice for anyone thinking of starting a company.
Nothing revolutionary, perhaps nothing you wouldn't have thought of yourself, but there is great value in having a well thought-out, complete, list like this.
Only 4 stars because the book seems biased towards venture-funded companies.
The Art of Living.......2007-08-30
Written like he was delivering a speech, Guy Kawasaki has made this an enjoyable and interesting read. All the time I was turning the pages, I kept feeling that much of what he wrote applied to life, and not just starting a business. When I got to the final chapter, "The Art of Being a Mensch", I discovered why I had gotten that feeling - much of Kawasaki's business approach emanates from his way of being in life. Read it for thoughts on how to live; read it for its humor, read it for advice - but do read it! Dennis DeWilde, Author of The Performance Connection.
Great book for starting anything important in life........2007-08-23
This book was so easy to read, and just made sense. If you looking to start anything in life that you have not done before, read this book, it will help a lot.
Great Start.......2007-08-11
If you are planning to start up, don't think again. Just read this book, close your eyes, and..... jump. This one is just as good as Eightstorm: 8-Step Brainstorming for Innovative Managers.
The Art of the Start is a great start...........2007-08-04
The Art of the Start is a great book because it gives a comprehensive overview to starting a business. I recommend it to all my early stage and start up clients. It has a strong focus on raising venture money, which is often critical for a start up. I supplement the recommendation with my own book, Lies Start Ups Tell Themselves to Avoid Marketing which picks-up on the marketing overview that Kawaski provides and delivers in-depth, step-by-step details on implementing your marketing. Because, as every failed start up knows, once you have the money, you have to produce.
Average customer rating:
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Computer Systems Validation: Quality Assurance, Risk Management, and Regulatory Compliance for Pharmaceutical and Healt
Manufacturer: Informa Healthcare
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21 CFR Part 11: Complete Guide to International Computer Validation Compliance for the Pharmaceutical Industry
ASIN: 0849318718 |
Book Description
The most comprehensive guide to computer validation currently available, this invaluable reference discusses good laboratory, clinical, manufacturing, and distribution practices and explains the latest regulatory developments for the US, European and other regulatory authorities. Practical examples and checklists appear throughout the book and the authors explores the role of quality assurance and risk management as key components of pragmatic regulatory compliance. He reviews over twenty case studies of different types of computer systems. Latest FDA and PIC/S developments concerning computer validation, electronic records and signatures, and process analytical technologies are included.
Book Description
THE SWORDSMANS' COMPANION is a superb introduction to a modern system of self-defense based on the Italian medieval masters Fiore dei Liberi and Filippo Vadi.
Intended for the beginner, the book approaches the art of swordsmanship from the perspective of a martial art, building the student's confidence through many drills, exercises, and explanations.
Guy Windsor, founder and director of The School For European Swordsmanship, Helsinki, brings his extensive experience to bear in creating was is surely the first modern treatise based on the medieval Italian treatises. The swordsmanship he offers is elegant and flashy, but it is also rooted in firm basics that include unarmoured wrestling techniques and throws.
Customer Reviews:
Well Written.......2007-07-29
The broadsword in s good place to start for anyone interested in learning Historic Swordsmanship. This book is well written for those who want to learn the basics. I personally found many new drills and new ways to teach my students.
Personally I have been in the martial arts for over 20 years and have been doing Western Martial Arts for about 8 and I really liked this book. It is always good to return to the basics and make sure they are solid.
I would recomend this book to anyone who is starting or thinking about getting into Historic Swordsmanship, also and well equiped sword library should have this book.
Most illuminating.......2007-03-11
Although I read this a few years ago, it remains for me the best book on the subject of swordplay that I've ever picked up. Although I may disagree with some of his interpretations (and that may simply be the result of his models handling blades too long to accurately demonstrate some of Fiore's guards), his decriptions of the fundamental principles of swordfighting are both elegant and insightful. This book was a pivotal experience in the evolution of my understanding of medieval swordplay.
Finalmente ............2006-11-14
When I saw this book advertised on Amazon, I said to myself...oh no!!! not another one of those books written by these whackos who think they can swordfight, just because they played with metal bars in their backyard !!!! Then as I looked through it I said .....Finalmente ....Finally....a well researched book written by an intelligent man who has studied the period manuals and presented his theory on the subject!! What is great about Guy Windsor is that even on his discussion forum he admits that he is learning everyday, and that he feels no shame in changing something that he might be wrong on. Great book written by a great author !!! If you want to learn to fight with the Longsword by this book !!!!!!
Excellent.......2005-03-29
As a long-time researcher and historical fencer, I can say that this is simply the best non-monographical book on the longsword out there. Guy Windsor is a first-rate teacher, and this comes across plainly in his writing and in the organization of this book.
The book provides enough historical material to demonstrate where the original concepts and techniques can be found, then expands into clearly-defined lessons from a teacher with considerable experience. Many of the common mistakes are identified and advice is given on how to avoid them or correct them. Actions are explained in terms of martial soundness and correct body-mechanics. Illustrations are numerous, clear and relevant.
Furthermore, Guy's writing style is dynamic and interesting, making the Companion a good read as well as a useful training tool.
A high-quality, informative and well-written book that I heartily recommend to all serious students of the late-Medieval sword-arts.
A great book for those who want to learn real swordsmanship.......2005-02-21
I just got my copy of this book, and I am suitably impressed. This book is mainly based on the Italian masters, notably Fiore di Liberi's work. And as such, the terms given here for the guards and cuts are in italian. Initially described in english as well, but italian after that. Now, this may be confusing for those who are beginners or non-italian speakers. More on this in a minute.
I like the fact that this book contains plenty of one and two person exercises to work through, illustrated with actual photos that are clear and easy to follow. This book also includes warm ups that should be done before practice begins, and some great exercises on body mechanics. You may wonder what being able to keep your balance on one foot has to do with swordsmanship, especially doing this with your eyes closed (Harder than it sounds!). Nothing, and yet, everything. Proper balance, footwork, and body mechanics are essential to good technique, and to avoiding injury. Many training books forget this. This one makes you think about it.
For those needing ideas for a training regimen, there are several sample class/training session outlines provided that can be borrowed or modified to suit the practicioner's needs. There's also some interesting stuff here that some of the other swordsmanship books don't get into, such as offensive use of the sword's pommel and handguard at close range, and some basic throws and grapples.
Now, about that italian language thing- It can be a bit confusing to be reading through the training exercises, and not knowing the italian terminology offhand. And constantly flipping back to the section where it's explained can be awkward. What I've found helps for those who are new to this form of swordsmanship, is to write a little cheat sheet with the italian names for the various guards and cuts, and their english translations, and keep this with the book. When you're reading the instructions, it's easier to refer to your little sheet of notes than to lose the flow of the exercise by flipping back and forth. And this little trick will help you to learn the historical italian terminology too. It's only been a few days, and it's working for me. As with anything, your milage may vary.
Overall, I highly reccomend this book to anyone looking to learn medieval swordsmanship, or to seperate real medieval fighting from hollywood fantasy.
Book Description
An intimate memoir of a friendship with the greatest artist in rock and roll history, taking you from late-night parties at Graceland to the bright lights of Hollywood sets and glittering stages of Vegas
On a lazy Sunday in 1954, twelve-year-old Jerry Schilling wandered into a Memphis touch football game, only to discover that his team was quarterbacked by a nineteen-year-old Elvis Presley, the local teenager whose first record, “That's All Right,” had just debuted on Memphis radio. The two became fast friends, even as Elvis turned into the world's biggest star. In 1964, Elvis invited Jerry to work for him as part of his “Memphis Mafia,” and Jerry soon found himself living with Elvis full-time in a Bel Air mansion and, later, in his own room at Graceland. Over the next thirteen years Jerry would work for Elvis in various capacities—from bodyguard to photo double to co-executive producer on a karate film. But more than anything else he was Elvis's close friend and confidant: Elvis trusted Jerry with protecting his life when he received death threats, he asked Jerry to drive him and Priscilla to the hospital the day Lisa Marie was born and to accompany him during the famous “lost weekend” when he traveled to meet President Nixon at the White House.
Me and a Guy Named Elvis looks at Presley from a friend's perspective, offering readers the man rather than the icon—including insights into the creative frustrations that lead to Elvis's abuse of prescription medicine and his tragic death. Jerry offers never-before-told stories about life inside Elvis's inner circle and an emotional recounting of the great times, hard times, and unique times he and Elvis shared. These vivid memories will be priceless to Elvis's millions of fans, and the compelling story will fascinate an even wider audience. BACKCOVER:
Advance Praise for Me and a Guy Named Elvis
“This book kept me up late into the night as I turned the pages, reliving every situation and every story as if I were there all over again, until I finished. Jerry Schilling's words brought tears to my eyes, making me smile and nod as it filled my head with things I had forgotten but thankfully he remembered. Jerry tells his story with the freshness and purity of a man who truly loved his friend. Me and a Guy Named Elvis is not only authentic, honest, and truly moving—it is a marvel.”
—Priscilla Presley
“Jerry had the keys to the kingdom, the keys to the King's houses, to the King's cars, to the heart of what made Elvis a King in the first place. Here he unlocks every door and his own heart to boot. In this book, Jerry Schilling brings grace to Graceland.”
—Bono
“Jerry Schilling has captured the beauty of my father's spirit in a way that has never been done before. I will admit that I was nervous to read another book on this subject, especially by a friend (there are not many who remain in my life from this time period, as Jerry does), but this book is by far my favorite. It is a captivating, well-written, and un-crucifying account of many historic moments that shows the real birth and evolution of Rock and Roll and how it bridged the racial divide. Jerry tells his story of a young boy growing up poor with no real family before fate changed his life during one Sunday afternoon game of football—and he tells it with humility, honesty, and dignity.”
—Lisa Marie Presley
“What Jerry Schilling has written in Me and a Guy Named Elvis is an account of one man's experience, a personal memoir that, while it places its narrator squarely in the midst of historic events, never claims credit for those events in the way that so many self-serving memoirs are inclined to do. It is a balanced treatment of a complex subject . . . What I think distinguishes the book most of all, though, is its emotional honesty, the generosity of spirit with which Jerry seeks to emulate his friend and mentor.”
—Peter Guralnick, author of Last Train to Memphis and Careless Love
Customer Reviews:
Thanks, Jerry! Best Elvis book ever written!!!!.......2007-09-19
I couldn't put the book down. After reading this book, I feel as if I know Elvis, the man, not just the entertainer. Jerry, you had quite an exciting life being there with Elvis through the good times and the bad. Elvis was lucky to have a loyal friend such as you. I recently was on the first ever "Elvis Cruise" to the Bahamas and was honored to have met you and have you autograph the book for me. I recommend this book to all Elvis fans. You won't be disappointed.
One of the Best I've read.......2007-09-17
Me and a Guy Names Elvis is a wonderful read. It was nice to read a book about a true friend by a true friend. This 30 year mark hit home big time. With my age being 42 I felt so heart sick to think of Elvis dying so young. His talented life in front of him and a future with a daughter he never saw grow up. Jerry Schilling did a wonderful job writing this book. I hope Elvis fans stop reading the rest of the crap that's out there and sit to read this. He lost a good friend indeed.
Outstanding.......2007-09-13
This is a poignant biography of Elvis Presley written by a true friend who never betrayed him.
Review of book.......2007-09-05
I received the book in a timely manner and the condition of book was as stated which was in very good condition. I am very pleased the this transaction and would highly recommend seller.
Very entertaining and Good Book.......2007-09-04
I've read alot of Elvis book. Jerry Schilling seems to tell both sides, not all great things about Elvis because even Elvis was not perfect , but Jerry seems to tell the truth. I like that in the book. The book takes a few chapters to really get going but once it does, I was glued. I think I read the entire book in a weekend. getting ready to read it again.
This book is a must read for Elvis fans. Jerry Schilling is a great guy.
thanks
Adam
Customer Reviews:
Out of Print.......2006-11-18
This is a beautiful book that is now out of print. If you like big cats you'll like looking at the amazing work by Guy Coheleach. If you don't own it already you'll have to buy it used. Try and find a good copy and enjoy. I did.
Excellent Illustrated Reference on the Big Cats.......2003-07-08
This book is a large format - approximately 12" x 12" - heavily illustrated book in the genre commonly called "coffee table books". It goes beyond most such books, though, in having text that is even more compelling than the illustrations.
The book includes chapters on each of today's large predatory cats - puma, jaguar, leopard, lion, tiger, cheetah, snow leopard, and clouded leopard. Each chapter includes many illustrations by Guy Coheleach; most are full color paintings, though there are also many black and white sketches.
The paintings are detailed and beautiful, but I found Nancy Neff's text to be even more valuable. Each chapter provides information on the physical characteristics, fossil history, and behavior of the species, along with information on its current status and how it got there; in addition to the pictorial illustrations, there are very nice diagrams that illustrate the text. In addition, there is a table at the beginning of every chapter giving some relevant statistics, along with a map showing the current and historical distribution of the species and its subspecies. I particularly liked the fact that much of the information is presented in a consistent way across all the species, so I can, for example, compare the length of a jaguar to that of a tiger without fearing that this information might have been omitted for one or the other species.
The 244 page text, also includes excellent introductory chapters covering general topics such as the evolutionary history of the cats. At the end of the book, there's a brief explanation of biological nomenclature, and a glossary, bibliography, and index, as befits a scholarly work. This book may eventually be displaced from your coffee table, but it will remain a treasured reference on your bookshelf for a long time.
Average customer rating:
- Dance like no one is watching!
- Great story and art work
- Beautiful Book
- Charming with a great moral
- Beautiful Book , great story!
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Giraffes Can't Dance
Giles Andreae
Manufacturer: Orchard
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Rumble in the Jungle
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Commotion in the Ocean
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Down By The Cool Of The Pool
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Dinosaurumpus!
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K Is For Kissing A Cool Kangaroo
ASIN: 0439287197 |
Amazon.com
Gerald the giraffe doesn't really have delusions of grandeur. He just wants to dance. But his knees are crooked and his legs are thin, and all the other animals mock him when he approaches the dance floor at the annual Jungle Dance. "Hey, look at clumsy Gerald," they sneer. "Oh, Gerald, you're so weird." Poor Gerald slinks away as the chimps cha-cha, rhinos rock 'n' roll, and warthogs waltz. But an encouraging word from an unlikely source shows this glum giraffe that those who are different "just need a different song," and soon he is prancing and sashaying and boogying to moon music (with a cricket accompanist). In the vein of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Gerald's fickle "friends" quickly decide he's worthy of their attention again.
With this rhyming, poignant (in a cartoonish way) tale, Giles Andreae, author of Rumble in the Jungle, and numerous other picture books, shows insecure young readers that everyone can be wonderful, even those that march to the beat of a different cricket. The rhymes are somewhat awkward, but the bold, bright watercolors by Guy Parker-Rees will invite readers to kick up their heels and find their own internal harmony. (Ages 3 to 6) --Emilie Coulter
Book Description
Gerald is a giraffe who simply can¹t dance. Try as he may, his long, spindly legs buckle whenever he starts to boogie. Every year he dreads going to the Great jungle Dance, until one night he finds his own special music.
Customer Reviews:
Dance like no one is watching!.......2007-07-01
The artwork in this one just pops off the page! The story is precious and it catches a lovely rhyme! Tango, Salsa and ChaCha are all within your reach as you cheer for this awkward giraffe to bust a move! A great read aloud!
Great story and art work.......2007-04-10
This is a great must have book for your child's library! It is good for ages 0-6 years at least! I checked this book out from the library and just had to buy a copy for home! Great for gift giving also!
Beautiful Book.......2007-02-05
This book is such an enjoyment for myself as well as my two year old. I love the illustrations, which is what caught my attention at the store and led to the purchase. However when I came home and read it to my daughter I also fell in love with the story. This is a definate must have in your library, and I think Giles Andreae's best book.
Charming with a great moral.......2007-02-01
This is such a delightful book. I love the whimsical illustrations, charming rhymes, and the moral of the story- "We all can dance if we find music that we love". Gerald the Giraffe (who doesn't seem to be able to dance) ends up finding his own unique rythm. This is one of the few books that I never tire of reading (oh, and my 3 year old son likes it too!)
Beautiful Book , great story!.......2007-01-10
I bought this book for my 18 month old son and I love it. The pictures are beautiful and it is a great story with a nice message. The story is a little long for his attention span right now but he loves looking at the pictures. It is one of our favorites!
Book Description
Designing and Developing Scalable IP Networks takes a “real world” approach to the issues that it covers. The discussions within this book are rooted in actual designs and real development, not theory or pure engineering papers. It recognises and demonstrates the importance of taking a multi-vendor approach, as existing network infrastructure is rarely homogenous and its focus is upon developing existing IP networks rather than creating them from scratch.
This global book based on the author’s many years’ experience of designing real scalable systems, is an essential reference tool that demonstrates how to build a scalable network, what pitfalls to avoid and what mechanisms are the most successful in real life for engineers building and operating IP networks. It will be ideal for network designers and architects, network engineers and managers as well as project managers and will be of particular relevance to those studying for both JNCIE and CCIE exams.
Download Description
Designing and Developing Scalable IP Networks takes a “real world” approach to the issues that it covers. The discussions within this book are rooted in actual designs and real development, not theory or pure engineering papers. It recognises and demonstrates the importance of taking a multi-vendor approach, as existing network infrastructure is rarely homogenous and its focus is upon developing existing IP networks rather than creating them from scratch.
This global book based on the author’s many years’ experience of designing real scalable systems, is an essential reference tool that demonstrates how to build a scalable network, what pitfalls to avoid and what mechanisms are the most successful in real life for engineers building and operating IP networks. It will be ideal for network designers and architects, network engineers and managers as well as project managers and will be of particular relevance to those studying for both JNCIE and CCIE exams.
Customer Reviews:
French Country decorating.......2007-08-22
The book was very informative. It gave me many ideas on how to include my furnishings with a French feel.
A real gem.......2007-05-21
I can see this book is going to sit on the top of the coffee table book pile for a long time to come. Aside from the fabulous photos of French Provincial homes, Dannenberg delicately picks apart the details that make a typical Provincial home and garden. It does the job so much better than we sitting in another continent can grasp from a few photos in a book. It teaches us how to copy this style and really appreciate the quality of each piece of furniture, artwork or chattel we acquire for own little pretend patch of France.
I love this book!
Love this book!.......2007-04-05
Really a wonderful book - both beautiful to look at and informative. Very interesting reading, as well as artistically lovely with wonderful, colorful photography. I am not a decorator or designer by trade, but go to this type of book for creative inspiration, and this one was a winner.
VERY INFORMATIVE.......2007-02-26
Wonderful book on French Country Style. This book is packed with lots of vivid photos but what sets this book apart from all the other styling books is the wealth of information that the author shares with the reader. It is truly a must for any Provencal styling fan.
love it.......2007-02-12
If you want detailed descriptions of French design elements, including their history, this is the book for you. If you just want room pictures, this may not work for you, as it is text-heavy. I just love it.
Book Description
Blending the spirit of Eats, Shoots & Leaves with the science of The Language Instinct, an original inquiry into the development of that most essential-and mysterious-of human creations: Language
Language is mankind's greatest invention-except, of course, that it was never invented." So begins linguist Guy Deutscher's enthralling investigation into the genesis and evolution of language. If we started off with rudimentary utterances on the level of "man throw spear," how did we end up with sophisticated grammars, enormous vocabularies, and intricately nuanced degrees of meaning?
Drawing on recent groundbreaking discoveries in modern linguistics, Deutscher exposes the elusive forces of creation at work in human communication, giving us fresh insight into how language emerges, evolves, and decays. He traces the evolution of linguistic complexity from an early "Me Tarzan" stage to such elaborate single-word constructions as the Turkish sehirlilestiremediklerimizdensiniz ("you are one of those whom we couldn't turn into a town dweller"). Arguing that destruction and creation in language are intimately entwined, Deutscher shows how these processes are continuously in operation, generating new words, new structures, and new meanings.
As entertaining as it is erudite, The Unfolding of Language moves nimbly from ancient Babylonian to American idiom, from the central role of metaphor to the staggering triumph of design that is the Semitic verb, to tell the dramatic story and explain the genius behind a uniquely human faculty.
Customer Reviews:
Bursting with new ideas.......2007-09-11
I've read a goodly amount of material on linguistics, so I expect each new book to go over much the same ground as previous books, but this one took me by surprise -- it's chock full of new and interesting ideas. Other reviewers have already explained the basic structure of the book; allow me to offer some of the tidbits that stuck to my mind:
1. The concept of erosion. People always shorten words, cut off consonants, simplify vowels. His working example, and an excellent one it is, is "gonna", an eroded form of "going to". Erosion wears down words to the point that they start to lose expressiveness, at which point people tack on something else to clarify their meaning. He presents one case of a French word; I can't recall the details but here's an analogy: suppose that "gonna" someday gets eroded to 'gon' and later to 'g'. At some point, people will need to flesh it out, so perhaps they'll tack 'will' onto it to get 'gwill', which in turn might get eroded down to 'gill'. And so on and on and on. Many of the words in our language are eroded, compressed, multi-layer fossils of much longer original expressions.
2. Complementing erosion is back-formation, a process by which people extend patterns in the language to other words. One example might be the child who says, "I goed with mommy." The trick is, there are lots of patterns scattered all through the language, and ofttimes a pattern can be recruited to a word when that word has been dangerously eroded. This is especially likely when two words are similar in pronunciation. "sing sang sung" leads to "ring rang rung" -- but should past tense of the fairly new verb "wing" be "winged" or "wang" or "wung"? With so many patterns to choose from, there's always grist for language change.
3. He starts off with a delightful point on the common plaint that English is going to hell, that people nowadays don't know how to use it properly, how just 30 years ago the language was so much more pristine. He presents a modern quote to this effect; then another quote from 30 years ago saying the same thing; then another quote from 30 years before that saying the same thing; and so on all the way back to 1620. The more things change, the more they stay the same.
4. I was particularly impressed by his explanation of how the weird Semitic word system (every word has a root of three consonants, and the vowels that are filled in specify its gender, case, number, and so forth.) He starts by pointing out that this system is too intricate, too well-ordered, to have simply arisen by chance. Or is it? He proceeds to demonstrate just how it could have happened using erosion and back-formation.
5. Vowel coloring. This is another concept that I had seen mentioned but never explained. Some vowels can affect vowels near them in a word. The example he gives is the Germanic "gest", whose plural was "gestiz". [I'm probably screwing up the spelling here.] The 'i' in the plural form "colored" the 'e' and caused it to shift into an 'a'. Later on, the 'iz' was eroded down to a schwa (spelled as an 'e', but pronounced as a short "uh"). Thus, the singular is "Gest" but the plural is "Gaste".
All in all, a surprising and fascinating book. This guy is definitely on my list of authors to watch.
Endless Forms Most Beautiful.......2007-06-12
Charles Lyell's "Principles of Geology," published in 1830, established the doctrine of uniformitarianism, an assumption that the forces active in the past are the same as the forces active today. With this assumption, Lyell was able to show how all of the geological structures of the earth could have arisen from just two forces, uplift and erosion. Charles Darwin carried the first volume of "Principles" with him on the Beagle, and that work greatly influenced his own thinking. In his "Origin of Species," published in 1859, Darwin showed how complex organisms could have evolved from less complex ancestors through a simple process of natural selection. Guy Deutscher, in his new book "The Unfolding of Language," has accomplished a similar feat for linguistics, showing how all the complexity of modern languages could have evolved from a simple proto-language by means of linguistic processes that still operate on languages today.
Deutscher claims that only three processes are needed to explain how syntactic and morphological complexity evolved from a "Me Tarzan, you Jane" pre-language. The first process is economy; in general, people will try to reduce effort whenever possible. For example, we see economy at work in contractions and newspaper headlines. The second process is expressiveness; that is, speakers have a need to create new utterances as new circumstances arise, and they need to add emphasis and emotional content to what they say. Exaggerated expressions like "not in a million years" provide an example of expressiveness. The third process is analogy; humans are very good at detecting patterns (even where they do not really exist), and they have a need for order. The recent shift in the past tense of "dive" from "dived" to "dove" for many American speakers is built on an analogy with "drive/drove."
Economy in languages is like the process of erosion in geology; both are gradual destructive forces. Speakers take shortcuts, dropping parts of words, running words together and omitting words altogether, all in an effort to save effort. Over the course of generations, these shortcuts become the standard forms in the language. A good example of this is the Latin case system, which was worn away over the centuries in the regional dialects that became the Romance languages. The more frequently an expression is used, the more it gets worn down, just as mountains are gradually reduced by the flow of wind and water.
Expressiveness, then, is like the process of uplift in geology. Various geological forces act to lift terrain, creating new mountains and ridges. Likewise, inventive speakers need to express new ideas and add emphasis, so they put words together in new combinations and extend the meanings of words by metaphor. These novel usages become standardized over time, and new structures in the language are created.
Expressiveness and economy are complementary processes in languages, just as uplift and erosion are in geology. The first process in each pair builds new structures, and the other wears them down. Together, they create a repeating cycle of build-up and decay.
The third process needed for full-fledged language to evolve from proto-language is analogy. Humans are excellent pattern recognizers, and they like to extend patterns as much as possible. Children learn their native language through pattern-recognition processes, picking up on the statistical regularities of the language. For example, they learn the pattern of adding "ed" to form the past tense and then produce forms like "goed." Sometimes these pattern extensions make it into the next generation of speakers and become standard forms in the language. Archaic English plurals like "eyn" for "eyes" and "kine" for "cows" are examples of this.
Next, Deutscher demonstrates how these three processes can build up a complex language, bringin in evidence from a vast number of languages. Bombarded by example after example, the reader is left wondering how language could have evolved any other way. Additionally, the reader is left wondering why no one had figured this out before, given that the data Deutscher presents is not new.
In Deutscher's model, there is no need for a language instinct. Instead, these three processes build up language upon a cognitive foundation that had already evolved millions of years ago in our primate ancestors. Furthermore, he shows how a number of language universals are also based general cognitive principles. Although Deutscher states that he prefers to avoid the nature-nurture issue, the evidence he brings forth leaves little support for the "language is special" view.
It is important to keep in mind that Deutscher is after the big picture. First, he does not even attempt to explain how every linguistic structure evolved, even though his examples are copious. Second, he gives the reader fair warning whenever he shifts from the attested to the speculative. His purpose is to show how complex linguistic structures could have evolved--in principle--by simple processes. In this regard he is like Darwin, who demonstrated how natural selection could work in principle; a century and a half later, biologists are still working out the details.
There is something else that languages and organisms have in common--both appear to have been designed. In the case of organisms, it was generally assumed, until Darwin, that they were designed by a divine creator. In the case of languages, however, five thousand years of writing has provided incontrovertible evidence that languages do evolve. The beauty of both Darwin's and Deutscher's ideas is that they provide compelling evolutionary explanations for apparent design.
Some time in the distant past the first word was uttered, and our ancestors began to speak. Haltingly at first, but a word or two at a time, and then over the eons they gradually built up a complex linguistic framework. No one invented language; rather, it emerged slowly from the social interactions of hominids over many thousands of generations, in much the same way that gradually more complex organisms arose. At the end of "The Origin," Darwin ponders: "There is grandeur in this view of life, with its several powers, having been originally breathed into a few forms or into one; and that, whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being, evolved." And so it is with languages, that most beautiful and wonderful of human endeavors.
Informative and Fun.......2007-03-17
I loved this book. He doesn't write above the readers' heads, but language afficionados still feel like they're on his level. I loved his sense of humor. It moved very well. A great informative read.
Covers a lot of ground and is very readable, considering the subject matter........2007-01-21
Some reviewers complain that The Unfolding of Language does not read easily, but I have a hard time imagining a more readable approach to this material.
While some of the material in this book requires concentration, I would not have wanted it 'dumbed down' to make it more readable.
I have no education in linguistic and was able to understand all of the material, although as I mentioned, it takes a little work in places.
Along with books like Guns, Germs, and Steel, The Unfolding of Language is an excellent example of a readable presentation of academic material.
The Unfolding of Language tackles many topic, include questions like Was Latin the ultimate language, with modern European languages being low-brow street versions of it? If Latin and other such seemingly sophisticated languages were so complex, who invented them? How are languages evolving? Why are they evolving as they are? How did languages progress from Noun-Verb, two-word sentences to something like ancient Greek and Latin? Why do languages have reflexive pronouns? and many other topics and questions.
The scope of this book is impressive.
Amazing...........2006-12-17
I so much enjoyed reading this book. I also liked the author's balanced view on the human language especially regaring 'innateness' vs. 'cultural evolution'. I would suggest reading this book before reading Steven Pinker's 'The language instinct'.
Customer Reviews:
Great in my Grad classes.......2006-03-18
Great book, I use it in my art Grad class, great seller, everything went smooth and clear. AAA+
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